Quadruple BRITs-winner Olivia Dean has joined Niall Horan and Kehlani on the bill for Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2026, performing on Sunday 24 May in Sunderland.
Other artists announced today include Dermot Kennedy, CMAT and Myles Smith on the Radio 1 Main Stage, with Alessi Rose, Ezra Collective, FLO, Holly Humberstone, Jorja Smith (Party Set), Maisie Peters and Odeal performing on the Radio 1 New Music Stage.
They join acts already announced across the weekend including Fatboy Slim and Sonny Fodera, who headline on Friday 22 May, alongside a Saturday line-up featuring Zara Larsson, Louis Tomlinson, Lola Young and Nothing But Thieves.
Radio 1’s flagship live music festival will take place in Herrington Country Park, Sunderland from Friday 22 May – Sunday 24 May 2026, with over 100,000 music fans expected to attend across the weekend.
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The line-up for Sunday 24 May as it stands includes (in alphabetical order):
Radio 1 Main Stage
Charlie Hedges
CMAT
Dean McCullough
Dermot Kennedy
Jeremiah Asiamah
Kehlani
Maia Beth
Melvin Odoom
Myles Smith
Nat O’Leary
Niall Horan
Olivia Dean
Rickie Haywood-Williams
Vicky Hawkesworth
Radio 1 New Music Stage
Alessi Rose
Ezra Collective
FLO
Holly Humberstone
Jack Saunders
Jorja Smith (Party Set)
Maisie Peters
Odeal
The line-up for all stages can be found on the Radio 1 Big Weekend website.
Tickets for Saturday 23 May and Sunday 24 May will be available from 5pm on Wednesday 11 March and General Admission tickets will cost £44.50 (£40.00 + £4.50 booking fee). Keep listening to BBC Radio 1 and download the BBC Sounds app for more information.
As with previous Big Weekends, tickets will be geographically weighted with an element of preference given to local residents: 30 percent of tickets will be reserved for those living in Sunderland; 60 percent will be reserved for those living in the surrounding NECA region; whilst the remaining 10 percent of tickets will be available for the rest of the UK. The booking process will be handled by Ticketmaster – the only official ticketing agent for Radio 1’s Big Weekend.
The station has also announced its outreach plans, with Radio 1’s Life Hacks hosting a series of live panels across the North East from Tuesday 24 – Friday 27 March, bringing honest conversations, practical advice and inspiring local voices directly to young people. Taking place at East Durham College, Sunderland College, South Tyneside College and Red House Academy, the panels will explore topics such as building a future, navigating life after education, managing mental health and understanding modern relationships. The sessions will feature local organisations, charities and entrepreneurs, connecting young people with support, opportunities and real-life experiences from across the area.
Radio 1’s Big Weekend kicks off the UK’s festival season by bringing some of the biggest UK and international artists to locations that may not otherwise host such a large-scale event, shining a light on the local area and providing a major boost to the local economy. There is always a huge demand for tickets, with the festival often selling out within minutes every year. This year, the BBC is working closely with Sunderland City Council to ensure that Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2026 is a safe, inclusive and enjoyable environment for all those attending the festival.
BBC Radio 1 will broadcast live from the festival site across the weekend, with performances and highlights available live and on demand across Radio 1’s iPlayer channel and BBC Sounds.
Image: Raph_PH/Creative Commons
